Starbucks Funds Clean Water Education

Starbucks opened for business in China in 1999. And now their stores are all over the big cities. But they're not just serving coffee and tasty snacks. They're also out there paying for a variety of education efforts through the company's charitable arm, the Starbucks Foundation.

The foundation put up $5 million in 2005 to fund the Starbucks China Education Project with Give2Asia, an NGO that raises money for charitable causes in Asia. By 2006, the company was working with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation to train teachers. In many rural areas of China, teachers don't always have education training, or even any college-level coursework. The teacher training program Starbucks paid $1 million for helped almost 3,000 teachers to get formal training, according to the company's website.

“At Starbucks, our commitment to social responsibility is an integral part of our culture and business practices,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks president. “In China, we believe our philanthropic commitments will be significant, substantive and long-term,” while “contributing positively to China’s educational programs. Operating with a social conscience has always been a core purpose and competency at Starbucks. It is part of our heritage and values. At our stores, our partners strive to be good neighbors and contributors in the communities where they live, work and play.”

Now, Starbucks has kicked in another $600,000 to help educate rural women in areas hit by drought to better manage clean water resources, according to the Women of China website. The money goes to the Ningxia Women's Federation in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which administers the education efforts.

So have another mocha latte safe in the knowledge that you're helping support the company's charitable efforts in China's poor, rural areas.

Photo courtesy of peiqianlong, via Flickr